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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

retreating

I had fun retreating in Colorado this past weekend. It's always wonderful to spend time with my friend Tara. That girl throws an amazing retreat! Good times, great food, great people!

Penny was just as cute as could be in her little apron. She taught workshops on paper piecing and improvisational piecing. The workshops were great.They had the perfect mix of information and inspiration with some challenge thrown in for good measure. I learned a lot.

I made these sewing machines without a pattern. I just improvisationally pieced them from my own little sketch. I looooooooooooooove them! This is nothing I have ever tried before, (shoot, this is nothing that I had even thought of doing before) and I am so pleased with my first attempts. The spools were Penny's idea and I think that it totally makes the block!

We had all agreed in advance to do a pot holder swap. It was fun to see how all 6 of them coordinated so well. Aren't they so so sweet? The second one from the left, made by Carmen, came home to live with me. Yay!

I sewed on this cutie patootie sewing machine all weekend, thanks to the ever generous Julie.

The prize bags were filled to the gills with goodies! We all got spoiled. Thank you Tara!

There was also fabric shopping, which was actually more like fabric hunting. :) We had great success. Hurray!

There were lots of laughs, a few headaches (literally, which don't mix well with paper piecing, let me tell you!), and lots of fabric scraps everywhere by the end of the weekend.

from L to R: Penny, Amanda, Tara, Carmen, Melinda, Audrey

Here's a group shot. I had met Carmen, Penny last fall. It was great to meet AudreyPawdry in real life (she and I were in a bee together a few years back), and Melinda, who is also from Wisconsin. I'm so glad that I was able to sew all weekend long with these very lovely ladies. Good times, good times.

On the flip side, it is great to be back home. I missed my husband and kids so much. Now, I have to find a home for a bunch of fabric scraps and the yardage I acquired while I was away.

Cristin,I used a layer of insulbrite inside the pot holder. No batting. Just batting doesn't have enough heat resistance. Batting and insulbrite is too puffy for my taste....it makes quilting it difficult. Hope that helps!

i had a wonderful time meeting you in person and laughing with you. seriously, you are so flippin' hilarious. i'm having a heck of a time explaining, "hate that guy," to my husband. we'll just have to rent the movie. he's also not amused by, "i can't be bothered..." i wonder why? i sure hope we can organize some sort of sewing time in WI. i need some sewing buddies that are *encouraging*! :)

Oh wow, what a fun weekend! It sounds like you had a lot of fun with those new products, and lots of productivity too. Love seeing all your smiling faces. How lucky to be able to get together again like this!

I had such a great time meeting you! You are so funny and encouraging, and it was neat to meet one of my virtual bee buddies.:) I love your pictures of the retreat, and I wish I taken one of us as a group. Your sewing machine blocks are so amazing!

Looks like you had a great time Amanda, I love your sewing machine blocks and all of it!! It's always fun to learn something new, especially hands on, with a fun group. How did you like the featherweight, I love mine for piecing, really accurate seams and perfect little stitches.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the sewing machine block... can you make a pattern? I am just starting to get into paperpiecing and I love it!.. I also love the triangle pillow and have cut out the template to start my own!

Hello! Your little triangles made with scraps are so so beutiful! I need to try that once! But - I just loooooooove your sewing machine blocks! You have made them so lovely with just white and one colour - the thread bobbin is the cherry on the cake! Thank you for wonderful ideas and inspiration!Sunny wishes from Greece! Teje